


To be Human

by Sinner_Writes



Series: Stardew Cinematic Universe [1]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Zombies, he doesn't eat brains, kind of, not outright romance but there's some crushing, realizing that you're dead, two bros sitting in the sewers five inches apart because they're a little bit gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:33:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22328644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinner_Writes/pseuds/Sinner_Writes
Summary: When bad decisions lead to horrible realizations.
Relationships: Krobus/Male Player, Krobus/Player (Stardew Valley)
Series: Stardew Cinematic Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1603876
Comments: 2
Kudos: 76





	To be Human

This was, in all accounts of the word, a bad decision. And Elio had made a lot of those -- working at Joja, quitting a steady (yet still horrible) job to move out into the country, and raising a coop full of what could be considered demon chickens. And okay, yeah, those had all turned out really well (except for the Joja, but he refuses to talk about that).

But really? Climbing into the sewers every day at the same time and coming out with nothing to show for it, save for a few odd eggs? It was suspicious as heck, and anybody in their right mind would question it. Elio was sure he was the talk of the town, but he didn’t care.

Not when he had things to question about himself.

You know, like why he was willingly going into the  _ sewers _ of all places. And why he was so excited to talk to the shadow person living down there.

Okay, maybe he knew the answer to the second one, but in his defense, Krobus was very polite. Elio liked that in a shadow man. Said shadow man also seemed content with Elio’s company, so he PROBABLY wasn’t acting incredibly racist towards the other, which was good. And when there was a surplus of void eggs, the other seemed honored to take them.

So here he was, climbing down into the sewers to say hello to his friend. Did it smell the best? Yoba no. But he was able to see well enough, and it was isolated from others. Almost like a date, Elio thinks humorously. Did shadow people even do those? He’d probably have to ask the wizard, regardless of how little the man seemed to care for people. He seemed to have a soft spot for Elio though, which was weird, but he wasn’t going to question things unless they got super creepy.

Anyways.

He’s approaching Krobus like he normally does, and the other seems absolutely delighted to see him. Yoba, that makes his heart beat a bit faster. He might  _ actually _ need to ask the wizard about courting standards, if this keeps up.

Elio sits down next to the other, just like he’s been doing for the past few months. And sure, the tiles are moist with things that he really doesn’t want to think about, but this area is starting to feel like another home to him.

Speaking of home, he should probably come up with a better way to explain his disappearances to the others on the farm. “Clearing his head” probably wouldn’t hold them off together. Although to be fair, it  _ was _ unhealthy to spend so much time alone, so they were right to be worried.

Because the thing is, nobody else knew that Krobus existed.

Elio had pocketed that rusty key and kept everyone else far, far away from the sewers. It was for his friend’s safety -- and yes, he’d love to introduce them, but then Krobus might be in danger.

“Lost in thought?”

Elio can’t help but chuckle at that -- he  _ did _ kind of zone out, didn’t he?

“Just a bit, but I’m back now,” he replies. The two fall into a comfortable silence for a bit as Elio takes in the scenery.

Yep, same as always.

Krobus is the one who breaks it.

“You’ve opened my eyes to the world of humans. I appreciate that,” he says, and Elio can’t help but blush. “Still, I have to ask… How do you do it?”

“Do what?” Elio asks, because that makes absolutely no sense.

“How do you get them to accept you so well?”

“...I… what?” Now he’s  _ really _ confused. “Why wouldn’t they?” Is he breaking some sort of shadow people code of conduct that humans don’t care about, or something? Is this just cultural differences?

“Because you’re undead.”

Red eyes widen as the farmer goes completely still.

“I’m… what?”

That’s not right -- that  _ can’t _ be right. Elio is alive, right? And he would have known if he died. He’s not some sort of zombie, or anything. When would he have even-

Oh.

Oh Yoba no.

Elio is practically thrown back to his days at Joja. That’s right -- he had been working for a few weeks with only a few hours of sleep, right? It always  _ had _ seemed odd that he suddenly wasn’t tired. And- oh, his eyes had been red the next time he looked in a mirror, hadn’t they? But how….

How did he not notice his own death?

“Was that wrong to say?” Krobus sounds worried, and why wouldn’t he be? Elio is pretty sure he’s shaking right now. He’s also pretty sure that he can’t form words right now, so he just shakes his head. A shadowy appendage reaches out as if to touch him, and hey, turns out Krobus has hands after all. Did they retract into his body? Or did Elio just not notice? Why is that second one so darn funny right now?

He lets out a shaky laugh, slightly leaning over so that the hand is against his arm. The contact, however foreign, grounds him enough to speak.

“How did I not realize?” He giggles, and wow, that probably sounds terrifying. The thought only makes him laugh harder. 

“...You didn’t know?”

Elio laughs so hard that he falls over. By all means, he should have hit his head on the tiles -- except the hand on his arm moves to catch him, and his head is suddenly laying in a pitch black lap.

Laughter very quickly quiets down.

“I didn’t know,” He answers in total disbelief. “I didn’t freaking know.” A hand starts to pet his hair.

“Humans-” Krobus quickly catches himself. “This is comforting to you, right?” Elio nods silently.

Time passes.

“Thank you,” Elio manages to mumble, eyes falling shut. “It means a lot to me.”

He’s asleep before the other can respond.


End file.
